Indian Sweets Recipes

Badam Halwa:

2 cups Badam
2 1/2 cups Sugar
2 drops Kesar Colour
1 cup Ghee
1 cup Milk

How to make badam halwa:

• Leave the almonds in hot water for 1 hour.
• Remove the outer skin and grind to a paste with the milk.
• Make sugar syrup and boil till it reaches a one string consistency.
• Add the badam paste and cook till it thickens.
• Add the kesar colour.
• Add ghee little by little stirring continuously on low hea

Basundi:

2 litres Milk
2 tblsp Lemon Juice
1 cup Sugar
8 crushed Cardamoms
5 chopped Almond (Badam)
10 roughly chopped Charioli nuts

How to make basundi:

• Boil the milk in a kadai.
• Keep stirring constantly and reduce it till it becomes thick and the quantity of the milk is approximately half a litre. remove from the flame and keep aside.
• D the lemon juice to the milk and stir the mixture so that it becomes granular in consistency.
• Return to a medium flame.
• Add the sugar and cook for another 10 minutes. stir the mixture occasionally.remove from the fire.
• Transfer to a bowl and add the cardamoms and the nuts.mix thoroughly.
• Serve hot or cold.

 Besan Ke Ladoo:

2 cups gram flour (besan)
11/2 cup sugar (grinded)
1 cup ghee
1 tsp each almonds, pistachios, cashew nuts (chopped)

Preparation of besan ke ladoo:

• In a kadhai mix gram flour and ghee over a low heat.
• Keep constantly stirring to avoid lumps.
• When it releases an appetizing smell, it is ready.
• Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
• Add sugar and nuts to the gram flour and mix thoroughly.
• Now form ping-pong size balls of the mixture.
• Besan Laddoo are ready to be served.

 Fruit Pudding:

2 large Bananas (peeled and thinly sliced)
2 large santras (peeled into segments with pipe removed)
1/2 tsp saffron strands
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp salt
2(140 ml) cartons curd (plain yogurt)

How to make fruit pudding:

• Mix the sugar, pepper, chili powder, salt and curd together.
• Add the bananas and santras and mix together for 2 minutes.
• Dissolve the saffron in a tsp of water and sprinkle it over the dish before serving.

Carrot Halwa 

1 kg Carrots
1 litre Milk
1 teaspoon Cardamom seeds
3/4 cup Water
3 tablespoons Ghee
2 tablespoons Raisins
2 tablespoons Almonds
2 tablespoons Pistachios
450 grams Sugar

Preparation of carrot halwa :

• Wash and grate the carrots. Soak the raisins in water for 30 minutes. Blanch and shred the nuts.
• Put the water to boil, when it starts boiling add the grated carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Add the milk. Cook on a low flame for 1 hour stirring occasionally. Add sugar, mix well and cook till the sugar has dissolved and all the milk has been absorbed.
• Add ghee and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Add the slightly crushed cardamoms and the raisins. Mix well.
• Remove the gajjar halwa from heat and arrange in a serving dish. Garnish with almonds and pistachios. Serve cold, hot or at room temperature.

Gulab Jamun:

1 cup Carnation Milk Powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons butter -melted
Whole milk just enough to make the dough

For the Sugar Syrup
2 cups Sugar
1 cup water
Oil for frying

How to make gulab jamun:

• Make the dough by combining the milk powder, Bisquick, butter. Add just enough whole milk to make a medium-hard dough. Divide the dough into 18-20 portions. Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel.
• Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium. Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The Gulab Jamuns should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. Now they must be gently and constantly agitated to ensure even browning on all sides.
• If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.
• The balls must be fried very slowly under medium temperatures. This will ensure complete cooking from inside and even browning.

Sugar Syrup

• The syrup should be made earlier and kept warm. To make the hot sugar syrup add mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar.
• Transfer this hot syrup into a serving dish. Keep warm on stove. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup. Leave gulab jamun balls in sugar syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

Jalebi

2 cups All purpose flour (maida)
11/2 tbsp fine grained semolina or rice flour
1/4th tsp baking powder
2 tbsp curd (plain yogurt)
11/4th cups warm water
1/2 tsp saffron threads, slowly dry-roasted and powdered
3 cups sugar
22/3rd cups water
1/2 tsp green cardamom seeds powder
11/2 tbsp kewra water or rose water
Ghee or vegetable oil for frying

How to make jalebi:

• Mix the flour, semolina or rice flour, baking powder, curd and 3/4th cup of the water in a bowl (preferably a ceramic bowl). Mix well with a whisk.
• Mix well and then add remaining water and 1/8th tsp. of saffron powder, and whisk until smooth.
• Set aside for about 2 hours to ferment.
• Whisk thoroughly before use.
• Prepare one string syrup by dissolving sugar in the water. Just before the syrup is ready add saffron and cardamom powder.
• Heat oil in a kadhai. Pour the batter in a steady stream ( or coconut shell with a hole) into the kadhai to form coils. Make a few at a time.
• Deep fry them until they are golden and crisp all over but not brown.
• Remove from the kadhai and drain on kitchen paper and immerse in the syrup.
• Leave for at least 4-5 minutes so that they soak the syrup.
• Take the jalebi out of syrup and serve hot.

 Kheer:

1/4th cup long grain rice (washed and drained)
4-5 cups milk
2-3 cardamom seeds (crushed)
2 tbsp almonds (blanched silvered)
A pinch of saffron threads, soaked in a little hot milk
1 tbsp skinned pistachio nuts (chopped)
1 tbsp raisins (optional)
2-3 tbsp sugar or as desired

How to make kheer:

• Put the rice, milk and cardamom in a pan, bring to boil and simmer gently until the rice is soft and the grains are starting to break up.
• Add almonds, pistachio, saffron and raisins and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved.
• Remove the rice kheer from heat and serve either warm or chilled.

Kulfi Recipe :

4 cups milk
8 tsp. sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp. ground green cardamom seeds (chotti elaichi)
1tbsp. skinned pista (pistachios), thinly sliced
1tbsp. skinned badam (almonds), finely ground (optional)

Preparation of kulfi recipe :

• Put the milk into a wide, heavy pan and bring to boil over high heat, stiring constantly.
• Now lower the heat and cook the milk, stirring constantly, until it has thickened and reduced to about 13/4th cups. (This will take about 40-45 minutes). Stir the sides of the pan constantly to avoid scalding.
• Now add the sugar, nuts and cardamom seeds, stir well, allow to cool.
• Pour the mixture into Kulfi molds or small ramekins, distributing evenly. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and freeze until set, about 6 hours.
• To serve, remove the ice-cream from the molds by running a sharp knife around the edges of the pista kulfi. Slip each kulfi on to a dessert plate, cut across into 3-4 slices, and serve.